An Unexpected Night
by Imprisoned Fire
Summary: No matter how much one speculates, no matter how many times they play a situation in their mind, the things they worry of happening well always occur when they least expect it. AyumuxHiyono On hiatus due to discovery of plot holes
1. The Unexpected

Hello and thank you for reading my story! This is my very first Spiral fic. (Meep!) I've really started to like this show and this idea just sort of came to me one night. I am very anxious to see if people like it. I hope people like it.

I was going to make it a one-shot but it kind of ran away from me. So I'm making it a multi-chapter. Anyway, I'll let you start reading the story and hope that you like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Spiral -Suiri no Kizuna- or any related characters. They belong to Kyo Shinodaira and Eita Mizuno. I do own the plotline though and ask that you don't use or copy it without my permission. Thank you.

This story is rated T (13+) for language, violence, suicidal thoughts/actions, inexplicit content and dangerous situations.

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It was hard to say exactly what went wrong. It was easily preventable, yet completely unavoidable. And it could have happened to anyone in the world, anyone at all. Any of the people that had been walking down the sidewalk, staring through windows, talking and laughing, as they were passed by. Anyone they knew, anyone they didn't know. It could have been any other person but them.  


But it didn't happen to any other person, it didn't happen to same stranger they passed on the street or a person they know, it happened to them.

The night sky stood dark and ominous in the moonless black light. The dim stars were the only things that stood out against it, shining through the dark in a vain attempt to light up the skies. City lights assisted them, softening the sinister look of the night and giving it a misty dimness. It was late, vary late. The misty dark was so thick that only the street lights could break through it. It made a trail through the shadows for the few people that wandered the streets to follow, like the two figures that slowly made they're way up the street. Their footsteps were the only sounds that echoed through the night air. The tallest of the two seemed to be doing the leading. A young boy of about seventeen with short brown hair.

Nobody could see them. At this time and place, the area they walked was deserted of all other people. It was a back road that lead into the city and sparing a few strays it was abandoned of most other life in the night. He was grateful for that. In the condition they were both in it would be a rather unpleasant situation if someone saw them. Chances were the police would get involved and that would make things worst then they already were.

Ayumu Narumi stared ahead at the dark as they walked. A deep frown was on his face as he thought. The orange colored lights from the street posts shined down on him, casting shadows across his face and making his eyes looking darker then they really were. As he looked up at the street lights that lead them he debated whether to be grateful for the lit trail, allowing him to see where they were going, or to wish that they were walking in darkness to ease his worry of being seen.

He wished this was like any other Saturday night, that he was simply walking Hiyono as far home as she would allow because she stayed over at the school journalist office or his place too long. It wasn't because he thought she couldn't take care of herself, she could do that fine, but just to make sure she got home safely. Yes, any other Saturday would be a thousand times better then this one.

But this wasn't any other Saturday night. It was so far from it in fact that he had to wonder if there would ever be a normal one again. The near complete silence was what really made this fact obvious. Normally Hiyono would be talking about something as they walked while he half listened, but now she hadn't said anything for the longest time.

Thinking of the energetic girl, he glanced to his side. She was walking beside him, following whatever pace he set in silence. He had done this more then once in the last few hours, almost as if to make sure she was really there and he wasn't just imagining her. And every time he did look at her he felt a sick, twisting feeling in his stomach, as if his insides were shriveling into nothing.

Even though she was walking right beside him, he felt as if she wasn't there. Although a part of him tried to say it was just the effect of the lights, there was no denying the blank, emotionless look her face and eyes held. He had noticed it a few hours ago, when things had calmed down, after she tripped. He tried to talk to her, to get her to say or do anything. But no matter what he did she wouldn't respond. She was lost deep in a part of her own mind, a part he wasn't sure she should be at.

He could normally read her facial expressions fairly easy. But right now there was nothing to read other then a dazed stare. She didn't even seem aware of her surroundings, probably didn't even realize where they were. He didn't even want to think about what might have happened if he wasn't guiding her down the road, holding her shoulders to keep her moving and stop her when needed. She probably wouldn't have gotten away, probably would have been frozen in place for hours. If he hadn't urged her forward, she would probably still be back there.

'_Don't think about it right now. Just focus on getting home.'_

Ayumu lead Hiyono around several turns as the lit trail lead them into a more populated yet sleeping part of town. The sidewalk started to grow brighter, more lights shining before them. His strained nervous tingled, making him more paranoid then he knew he needed to be. He couldn't help but glance up at the houses and apartments they passed. The black windows almost seemed to be watching them, threatening them. He couldn't see any lights on inside, but that didn't mean someone wasn't watching them.

'_You're over thinking. No one is going to be up at this time.'_ He knew his paranoia was foolish, illogical almost. No one was up this late at night and if they were up, they were at work. Even if someone was up, even if someone saw them through the black glass, chances were they wouldn't notice anything suspicious. '_That's right.' _He told himself. '_It's too dark out and the street lights can warp anything. They would just think it was a trick of light, their vision distorted by the dark.' _

Even in his mind the words sounded empty and meaningless. Irrational fear kept stalking his thoughts. He knew part of it was due to fatigue. He was exhausted and every muscle in his body seemed sore. Every step seemed to take a little more strength then the last and it tired him that much more. He just wanted to stop and rest, but he knew they had to keep walking. They had to get somewhere even remotely safe, somewhere that didn't feel so in the open and exposed. 

Another glace up, but this time he told himself it was the last. Even if someone saw them, he was sure they wouldn't assume anything too severe. Maybe they would think they were just two kids who had been out late partying. This thought actually brought a new worry to mind. They might not have been partying, but others might have. He was sure Hiyono had mentioned some students from school she believed were going to get themselves killed before graduation. What if some were out now? What if they ran into them? The thought of trying to explain their condition was not a pleasant one. He quickened the pace some. They had to hurry. He wasn't going to feel completely safe until they were inside a building.

He tried to push the worries back and focus on keeping their pace steady. They were almost to his place. Once they got there he knew his worry would start to die. They would be able to rest and treat their injures. He would be able to try and think more clearly. Try and figure out what to do next.

He wandered how long they had been walking. It had to have been some number of hours by now. They stayed on the back streets and allies in order to lower their chances of being seen by some one. That, of course, made their long journey home even longer.

This was without a doubt something he never thought would happen. Even after everything that's happened with the blade children, even after all his speculations of things that could go wrong, nothing could have prepared either of them for what happened tonight. . .  
_  
'Finally, we're here.'_

The apartment building loomed over them. He could already feel a small amount of relief just at the sight. They had finally arrived at his apartment, somewhere he knew they would both be safe. And thank god no one was home and wouldn't be for a few days. Madoka was away on a business trip. The police would probably be easier to deal with then the questions they would get from her.

"We're here, Hiyono. Just a little further..." His voice sounded tired and harsh to him. It scratched at his throat as he spoke, shooting dull pain up and down it. He didn't know why he spoke out loud, he knew she wasn't paying attention to his words. Maybe it was just for the sake of hearing his own voice or to break the ominous silence that had been in place for too long. He lead her up the first set of stairs, making sure she actually walked up them and didn't trip and fall. There was still one last leg, one last worry, before he felt they were safe.

He directed her down the hall, making they're way silently towards the stairs. '_Don't let anyone see us.' _He thought desperately, his nerves almost making him crazy. They were almost there. But even now he could see someone walking around the corner and finding them. How would he possibly explain if that happened?

_'You wouldn't be able to.' _The words rang as true as the fact that it was night. That's right, there wouldn't be any possible way for him to explain this. The night air stung at his nose as they stepped out onto the balcony. Their feet whispered against the ground as they passed closed doors and windows. _'Don't let anyone see us, please.'_

They stopped in front of the door. A strange sense of relief washed over Ayumu as he let go of her and moved to unlock it. He dug into his pockets, searching for his key. He pulled it out and reached for the door, unlocking it while he tried to ignore the icy chill the handle seemed to hold. He opened it, wishing that he wasn't coming home this late for all the reasons he had to. He reached behind him and took hold of Hiyono's wrist, gently urging her inside.

When he finally looked inside a black wall greeted them. Since no one was home there were no lights on and the whole house was pitch-black. Ayumu clicked on the hall light, destroying the black wall. He closed the door, leaning back on it with closed eyes to think. The silence in the house was even heavier then outside. It was as if closing the front door had cut them off from the outside world, something that was both comforting and unsettling at once.

Another cause for the weighting silence was the uncertainty of what to do next. The whole time they were walking he tried to figure out a plan of what to do. Unfortunately he didn't come up with much. The two simply stood in the hall. Both were quiet, nether making any moves to do anything. Ayumu opened his eyes to watch Hiyono, hoping she would do or say something, anything. But she merely continued to stare off into space. Her golden eyes looked dull and lifeless compared to the sparkle that use to be there.

None of this was suppose to happen, none of it. If he had even the slightest hunch that it would he never would have told her to meet him there. He never wanted something like this to happen, especially to Hiyono. He knew that her being around him all the time would lead to trouble someday. Trouble always seemed to follow him and she was right there with him in the line of fire. Before though, whenever she did get caught up in it he had always been able to at save her, to get her out before anything serious happened to her.

Not this time. This time it was different. Who would have known that in trying to protect her she would be the one that saved him this time? Which in turn, lead to her current condition. . .

Ayumu stepped away from the door, kicking off his shoes as he started down the hall. He only got a few feet when he glanced over to see his face in the mirror that hung on the wall. If he didn't know better, he could almost think the person staring back at him was a stranger. Mud, dirt and other questionable substances were caked to his face, half dry. If he looked down he knew he would find his clothes in a similar state, only worse. Some dried blood was mixed with the filth on the side of his face. Hot stinging spread through it when he brushed his fingers a crossed it. He realized that the "filth" wasn't so much dirt as it was a darkening burse. He could also see a ring of burses along his neck. Safe to say he might have a little difficulty swallowing for a few days. And he was sure that when he did a more entire search, he would find even more injures.

Staring at himself brought to mind another thought and he turned around towards Hiyono. She was only now beginning to take off her shoes. He had a feeling the action was out of habit rather then thought. One clue to this was the fact that she wasn't even looking at her feet but somewhere along the wall, that blank look still in place.

If he thought he looked bad, it was nothing compared to Hiyono. Like himself, she was also covered in dirt and grim. The only injury he could see was a dark burse showing along her right leg. It almost looked like purple ink had been smeared onto her skin. Even if she didn't have any other injures like he did, she still seemed worse off. Her golden hair which always seemed to be in braids was undone, hanging around her face almost like a curtain. It looked dull and dirty against the hall light. But what really had her looking worse then him was the blood. It was mixed half dry now with the mud and grime that covered her. It was even tangled in her hair and some streaks could be seen smeared across her face.

Ayumu slight chewed on his tongue as he waged a mental battle in his head. They both needed to take a shower. To walk around looking like they did was pointless, uncalled for really. Plus, he didn't want Hiyono to stay in those clothes. She was traumatized enough and staying in that dirt and blood stained outfit would only do more harm.

Thing was though, he wasn't sure if Hiyono was capable of taking a shower in the state she was in. He wasn't even sure about leaving her alone. He didn't know why he felt like that, but something in his gut got a bad feeling when he thought of the action. But then if she did take a shower it could help get her out of her thoughts if even just a short time.

"Hiyono." He wasn't surprised when she didn't answer. It still hurt to talk. He cleared his throat as carefully as possible before speaking again, raising his voice a little. "Hiyono." He walked back over to her, stopping beside her. He took a hold her shoulders and turned her towards him. This time when he said her name, he said it even loader.

She blinked, finally looking up at his face. It was the first time she had made eye contact with him in the past several hours. But although she was looking at him, he felt like she wasn't really _looking _at him. It was like she was staring straight through him at the wall.

"You need to change your clothes, Hiyono." He didn't let go of her shoulders as he spoke. It felt like if he let go she would just slip back to where ever it was in her mind that she went. "I can get some of mine for you to borrow, but first you need to take a shower."

It felt strange to hear his voice so slow and calm, that harshness from the pain still lingering in it and his throat. He really didn't expect Hiyono to hear what he said, in fact he even repeated himself. But then she slowly nodded. Her mouth opened partly, as if contemplating saying something, then she shut it. She shrugged his hands off her shoulders and walked passed him towards the bathroom. Even her footsteps seemed unnaturally quiet.

Ayumu turned to follow her. He knew he should feel relieved that she had actually responded to something he said. For the past few hours he wondered if there was anything he could say to get her to react. He should feel relived, but he couldn't shake that growing worry. He still felt objection to leaving her alone. But there was no getting around the fact that they both need to take a shower.

He moved a head of her and walked into the bathroom. Clicking on the light, he opened up the cabinet and grabbed a towel. He then turned around to face Hiyono. She was staring at the floor, her tangled hair blocking her face from view.

"You can use this shower." Ayumu said, walking pass her to leave. "I'll use the one in my sister's bedroom." Again, Hiyono just gave a slight nod. He paused for a moment at the doorway, staring at her back. His hand rested on the door handle, waiting for the command to shut the door. That doubt was nagging at him stronger now and he was slightly wishing he hadn't thought of the showers. Was it really okay to leave her alone in her condition?

'_You're over thinking it,'_ he thought, making himself shut the door. Instead of heading for the shower though he leaned with his back against the hall wall. He waited until he heard water running from the shower to even consider leaving to take his own. He looked up at the ceiling, knowing he needed to think of something to do. It wasn't like him to be making things up as he went, wasn't normal. But then, this wasn't a normal situation. It wasn't a normal Saturday night. It was far from it.

Ayumu blinked as his gaze at the ceiling started to blur. He pushed himself away from the wall, rubbing his eyes. He headed towards his bedroom, needing some clean clothes. He wanted to grab them before starting his shower. He wanted it to be a quick one. The less time Hiyono spent by herself, the better he would feel.

He still hadn't figured out what it was that went wrong, how this could have possibly happened. He should have been able to expect it, should have been able to keep her safe.  
He should have been able to prevent it completely and yet, there was nothing he could have done. . . .

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Author's Note: And that's the first chapter. I think I have fixed it up six times since I first published it. Even now I worry how it turned out. . .

Thank you for at least looking at my story. I hope you like it enough to want to keep reading.


	2. Fault

Thank you for reading the second chapter! And thank you to everyone who reviewed! You made me so happy, thank you!

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_That suffocating sense, her screaming, all that blood. . ._

Ayumu snapped his eyes open, earning a blast of water in each one. He quickly turned away to rub them, blinking rapidly to get the water out. He had to try and keep his eyes open, because every time he closed them for very long the events of earlier would replay before him.

He stood in the shower, trying to get clean as fast as possible. The water came rushing down, running over him in an attempt to wash away the dirt and grime. The warmth felt good against his tired muscles but stung at his injures. He wished he could stand under the hot water for a few hours rather then a few minutes. But, as he washed himself down with soap, being careful of his already irritated wounds, he knew he couldn't. He didn't want to leave Hiyono alone any longer then he had too. He didn't want to leave her alone at all, but they both need a shower. He had himself convinced of this. And not only to get clean but to try and calm their nerves down.

Ayumu let the water wash away the soap. No matter how hard he scrubbed the feeling of grime still lingered on him. Visible there was none, but the sensation was carved into his mind and it wasn't so easily washed away. He finally shut the water off, deciding that he had been in the shower long enough. Once the water stopped he felt a slight wave of dizziness hit him. He was so tired; if it wasn't for his memory of earlier he might actually sleep if he lie down. _'What are you thinking?'_ he asked himself, giving his head a slight shake._ 'You can't go to sleep. At least, not right now.'_ That's right, he could sleep later. Right now he needed to go and check on Hiyono.

Ayumu stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel he hung near by to dry off. Before he checked on Hiyono he would try to find her some clean clothes to wear. He was sure there was something in his closet that would fit her, or at least, enough to pass. He started putting his own clean clothes on, checking for the injures he had gotten. His knees were sore and slightly scrapped. Burses might show up after a few days, but if he was lucky they would be fine. There was a fairly bad cement burn along his arm, and his hand was a little sore. Really though, the only serious injury he had was the cut and bruise on his face. He glanced in the mirror, looking at it. He would have to remember to get the First Aid Kit out and bandage it later.

He finished getting dressed. He picked up his dirty clothes. The towel was fine, but since he didn't normally shower in here finding of his clothes in the laundry basket would bring questions he didn't feel like answering. But boy, He never thought he would be so grateful to put on clean clothes, ones that didn't feel like dirty wax paper against his skin.

He rolled the clothes into a ball and was about to leave when he stopped, a flash of white catching the corner of his eye. Sitting on the counter was a small white box. It wasn't even bigger then the palm of his hand. He stared at it for a minute, a burning guilt slowly spread through him. Part of him felt inclined to blame it for all of this, even though he knew that was impossible. It was no more that box's fault then the person next door.

If he hadn't got it on such a damn impulse-

He didn't bother finishing the thought. It didn't do any good to think "what if" or "if I hadn't". That wasn't going to help them right now.

That box had been in his pocket most of the day. Since after school and for the past few hours. He sat it there before his shower, wondering how it could even be in one piece.

Of all the things he imagined happening, he never would have expected this.

He picked the box up and then left the room, shutting off the light before he went.

'This has been one long night,' Ayumu thought to himself as he walked into his room. He threw his clothes into the basket near the corner. The small box he just put in the drawer of his nightstand. The less he had to stare at it, the less he would be reminded of what had happened. 

As he shut the drawer he looked at the alarm clock. The red numbers of one-thirty in the morning stared back at him.

Ayumu had to stare at the clock for a few seconds before the time actually clicked in his mind. _'It's only one in the morning,' _he thought, surprised. It felt like it should be later then that. But when he actually thought about it, he realized it made sense. He was tired, so of course it would feel later then it was. They did walk all the way over here, and that had to take a few hours. Not to mention a good amount of time had passed before they even got started.

He tried to keep his mind on the time and not think of anything else, but it wasn't long before the day was trying to replay the events from earlier.

Knowing he was late, trying to get there before she left, realizing she had just disappeared right before his eyes-

Ayumu gave his head a slight shake, turning his back to the alarm clock. _'I should hurry up and find those clothes.'_ He thought as he moved towards his closet. _'Hiyono has been in there long enough. After she's out of the shower and dressed I can try to figure out what to do next.' _His mind was still out of it. He had hoped the shower would help clear it, but it didn't seem to work. He opened up his closet and began to look through his clothes. He grabbed the first things he spotted that looked like they might work: an older T-shirt and a pair of pants. She would have to roll up the sleeves to do anything but she could live until her clothes were washed or she got some new ones from home.  
He shut the closet door. He left his bedroom light on, knowing he would be back in here.

_'I wonder if Hiyono is done with her shower?'_ Ayumu thought as he left his room and headed down the hall. He realized he was walking faster then he needed to, a familiar feeling of dread growing with each step. He suddenly stopped. A numbing sensation was slowing spreading through his body. It suddenly felt like the soft light from the hall ceiling was pressing down on him, smothering him.

This dread, this feeling like he had made one of the biggest mistakes of his life, had spread through him before just hours ago. He tried not to think about it, tried to tell himself he was just panicking due to overstressed nervous.

_'She's fine.' _He started back down the hall, almost sprinting despite his sore legs. _'She's fine, she has to be. There's nothing that could happen to her here.'  
_If so, then why did he feel like something _was _about to happen?

He stopped in front of the bathroom door, the sound of rushing water heard as plain as day. _'See? She's fine. She's still in the shower.' _He scolded himself, trying to calm down. His heart had started pounding again. His sight dimmed and brightened with each hard pulse. _'She's fine. There's nothing to worry about.'  
_  
_'Please let that be true. . .' _

Ayumu raised his hand and knocked on the door. "Hiyono," his voice sounded agitated and he swallowed to calm it. At least the shower had helped with one thing. His throat felt tremendously better and didn't really hurt when he talked. "I found some clothes you can borrow." He waited to see if she would respond, if she would say anything from a thank you to an order of what to do with them. But just as he guessed, silence was his answer. 

Even though he expected it, he felt a new wave of worry wash over him.

If she wouldn't come to the door then his options on what to do with the clothes were limited. Not to mention there was his growing fear to leaving her alone any longer. But then, he couldn't just walk in there. _'Just open the door a little,'_ he considered. That way if she was out, though the sound of rushing water said otherwise, he wouldn't see anything and would be able to hand her the clothes.

He gave one last knock on the door, just in case. When no reply came he started to reach for the door knob. But then he heard something. It was faint, almost unnoticeable, but it was there. It sounded like one of the cabinet doors closing.

"Hiyono?" He knocked on the door before glancing down at the floor. He could see a strip of light coming out from under it, and saw a shadow move across the light. So she wasn't in the shower, but then, why was the water still running?

"I found you some clothes you can wear." He repeated, knocking again. Maybe she couldn't hear him? "Hiyono?"

'_It's not that hard to hear someone in there,'_ his logic told him. He should know after all the times he was yelled at while in shower. His worry spiked again, almost making him act without thinking. 

That's when he heard the sound of glass shattering.

"Hiyono!" Ayumu shouted. He almost went to pound on the door again before stopping. He grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, relived to find the door unlocked. Forget her getting the wrong idea. Something felt seriously wrong and he needed to be sure she was fine. "Hiyono?" He opened the door a few inches. He debated just pushing it open, but what if there really was nothing wrong? "Are you okay-"

"Go away!"

She wasn't yelling it, she was screaming. And it was a sound he had never heard come from her mouth. Something about the way that she said that, something in the tone of her voice, caused fear to grip his senses stronger then anything else that night. He swung open the door. It hit the wall with a slight bang, clearing his view just in time to see Hiyono standing over the sink as she brought a piece of broken glass down on her wrist.

"NO!" Dropping the clothes he dashed forward, grabbing her arm as she moved to cut herself again. She tried to jerk away as he did, the glass falling from her hand.

"Get away from me!" She pushed him away, then grabbed the dropped shard and started to slice at her wrist. Blood began to run down her arm. Ayumu grabbed her again, slapping the glass out of her hand. "You can't do this-"

Hiyono spun around and screamed again. "Leave me alone!"

For a split second all Ayumu could do was stare at her. Her eyes were swollen and red from the tears streaming down her face. Her wet hair, now clean of the dirt and blood, was tangled and sticking to her face. Her skin was pale and he could now see faint burses showing in varies places.

_'This can't be happening, it can't be-' _

She turned away from him, grabbing the broken glass again. Before she had a chance to cut herself again, he leaped at her. 

The two struggled. The bathroom wasn't that big and as they wrestled they banged against the walls and sink. Ayumu had Hiyono by her wrists, trying to get her to drop the shard and calm down. Every time they banged into something Ayumu would cringe. Although he was stronger and could easily over power her, he didn't want to hurt her anymore then she already was. A shattered drinking glass lay in the sink, kept in the bathroom for brushing teeth and getting a late night drink.

"Please." Sobbed Hiyono. She was beginning to cry even harder. "Please, just leave me alone-"

"I won't let you do this!" Ayumu shouted.

_'I can't let her do this,' _he thought desperately, _'I can't let her die, not because of me.'_

Ayumu's hand slipped on Hiyono's bloody arm. He lost his grip and was pushed back against the wall. But when Hiyono turned to pick up another piece of glass, Ayumu grabbed her again and spun her around. They struggled some more, Ayumu trying to think of away to stop her before she was seriously hurt.

But then Hiyono suddenly went limp and fell against him. He was still for a moment as she grabbed hold of his shirt. She was shaking severely and he could hear her sobbing into his shirt.

Letting her lean against him, he grabbed the nearest thing at hand- the towel laying beside the shower- and quickly wrapped it around Hiyono's cut wrist. He had a little difficulty securing it; Hiyono was gripping his shirt so tightly he couldn't get her to let go.

_'I knew I shouldn't have left her alone!' _Ayumu cursed at himself as he led Hiyono to his room and made her sit down on the bed. He pulled the top sheet up around her, covering her._ 'Why did I leave her alone, why?'_

After prying her hands away from his shirt, Ayumu ran back to the bathroom. The first thing he did was shut off the water. Pieces of broken glass lay glittering around and in the sink. Drops of water clung some of the pieces like dew in the morning. He looked away, opening the cabinet and pulling two towels and the First Aid Kit out. As he wet one of the towels down in the tub, he spotted the piece she had used to cut herself on the floor near the corner. The blood clung to it much like the water on the others pieces did.  
He wondered how many times he would have to see shattered glass with blood on it.

He stood up, turning to leave. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror as he left. As he ran back to his room the reflection flashed in his mind. Pale face, wide eyes, the front of his shirt covered in blood. He vaguely realized he would have to change again. If the stains didn't came out of his clothes he would have to think of some reason for their disappearance.

Hiyono was still sitting on the edge of the bed when he came back into the room, rocking slightly as she cried. The blood from her wrist was seeping onto the sheets around her, staining them. He didn't care, he didn't even register it. He could change them later. He sat down beside her. He placed the First Aid Kit and the dry towel on his other side. Taking her arm, he began to carefully wash the cuts. They weren't too deep and he didn't think she hit an artery. Hiyono made no moves to stop him. She just silently cried as if he wasn't even there.

Ayumu didn't say anything as he finished cleaning the cuts and began to wrap it with some bandages. He couldn't say anything. He was too stunned, to absorbed in his thoughts to talk. Whatever safety he thought the apartment held had vanished. His nerves were tingling again, his adrenaline racing. His whole body felt strangely numb. Probably from shock.

He also felt a wave of the guilt that hit him with the shock. He knew Hiyono was in shock after what happened, but he didn't think she would try to kill herself. He should have followed his instincts and never left her alone. If he had then this wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't be hurt even more then before.

He finished wrapping her wrist. Putting the remaining bandages away, he picked up the damp towel again and began to wipe the smeared blood off. As he did he spotted darker burses along her skin. She must have gotten hurt more then he first thought.

Hiyono's crying was starting to subside, he could tell from the lack of shaking and quick breaths. She had stopped rocking and seemed to be staring straight ahead at the wall.  
_'She's calming down.' _He tried to let relief fill him, tried to tell himself that it would be okay now. But the fear driven doubt remained. He couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't over.

"Ayumu..." Hiyono's voice was low and harsh from the crying. He paused his cleaning with the towel as she slowly looked up at him. When she was finally looking at him he felt his insides twist at the look on her face. He almost preferred the blank stare she first had, not this one filled with sorrow and pain. "Why… Why did you stop me?" She asked, the pain in her voice almost making him wince. He kept his composure, tightening his grip on the towel as an alternative.

"What kind of question is that?" He asked, continuing to wipe the blood away. "I can't let you do that to yourself."

"I want to die." She was looking down at her feet, her voice starting to shake again. "I want it to stop. I don't want to live."

"You can't talk like that." Ayumu put the towel down. "You have to-"

"Don't you get it!" Hiyono spun towards him, grabbing his shirt and shaking him as she screamed. She didn't even try to keep herself covered, didn't even seem to notice her lack of modesty at all. "I don't deserve to live, I should be dead! I killed him, Ayumu! I'm a murderer!" Her eyes filled with tears again, falling thickly down her face. She opened her mouth as if to say more but only a mangled croak came out, her words choked by her tears. Finally, she buried her face in his shirt again, her shoulders shuddering with every breath.

Ayumu remained frozen as she cried anew. _'What do I do?' _That question repeated again and again in his mind. He needed to clam her down, to make her stop thinking what ever was going through her mind. But he didn't know how. He had never been in a situation like this, he had never even pictured it. Yes, Hiyono had cried in front of him before, but not for reasons even remotely similar to this. _'What can I do? What can I possible do?'_

Hiyono was talking again. He had to strain to hear as his shirt muffled her words. "Please, let me die Ayumu. If you love me, you'll let me die."

An ice-cold pain began to feel his chest. In the last nine hours both their worlds seemed to have changed drastically. Hiyono continued to cry, shaking severely as she begged him to let her die.

Slowly, hesitatingly, Ayumu put his arms around her. He wasn't sure why he did, but something told him it was the right thing to do. "You're not… You're not a murderer, Hiyono." He whispered. He could feel her body stiffen, becoming still. Whether it was due to the shock of him hugging her or she actually felt calm he didn't know. But if she was calming down, did it really matter?

A strange feeling washed over him at feeling her quick breaths against his neck and her rapid heart beat against his chest. He knew full well that she could have died earlier; they both could have died. He tightened his hold around her as he thought back on the incidence. "You didn't mean to kill him; you were only trying to stop him. And if you hadn't, you would probably be dead. We both would probably be dead."

The shaking had stopped completely and her sobs were dieing down.

"It's not your fault, Hiyono." His voice sounded strangely far away to him all of a sudden. "It's not your fault."  
_  
'It's mine. . .'_


	3. Restless Thoughts and Dreams

I'm sorry for the long wait, but things came up that I couldn't control. I hope you don't hold it against me though and enjoy this chapter all the same.

* * *

_The evening air was full of the scent of spring. Although it was only mid way through March, the weather was unusually warm today. Many people were out taking advantage of the weather with shopping or by enjoying a walk. However, while many people were enjoying the outdoors some were rather irritated by the number of people._

_He was walking down the street, moving a little faster then he normally would. In some ways, he was glad for the warm weather. However, along with it came the crowds of people and that he could live without. He was practically dodging around the people in front of him. He didn't mind the weather, nor did he blame people for wanting to get out. But they did not need to form mobs while doing so._

'I'm late.'

_Ayumu stopped at the corner, waiting for the light to change so he could cross the street. It really was abnormally warm to day. He was beginning to regret not changing out of his school uniform and into something more comfortable. Though, he could expect to see Hiyono there. She always seemed to be in a good mood on days like this._

_The light changed to green and he hurried across the street along with a dozen or so other people. Yeah, she would still be there. She would wait a lot longer then thirty minutes before thinking he wasn't going to show. Besides, he was never late, not unless something important had come up anyway._

_And it figures that he is called back home right at the last minute. He was in some ways glad that his sitter-in-law was going on a business trip for a few days. But then when he thought of how much it disrupted his schedule he really didn't care for it again._

_Ayumu went around a corner and began to dodge even more people. The sidewalks were almost too crowded to stand. Part of him just wanted to turn around and go back to where it wasn't so crowded, to just head back home, but he was almost there. At the other end of the block, Hiyono would be waiting for him. That is where he told her to meet him anyway. There was a chance she had left, or maybe not even showed up yet. But he was sure she was there and still waiting for him._

'Why are all these people here?'_ He wondered, nearly being shoved into a wall._ 'You would think that people would start to leave when it got crowded, not keep coming.' _That's what it seemed like. The further along he got the more people there seemed to be. There must be some kind of sell going on. And he just had to choose what would be the most crowded place to meet._

_After barely avoiding being pushed into the road by a passing man and women, Ayumu managed to catch sight of Hiyono through the crowd. She was waiting right where he asked her too. It was just a quick glimpse, but at lest he knew she was there. He didn't bather shouting out to her, he knew she probably wouldn't hear him in this crowd, especially if she was lost in thought and not paying attention._

_He made his way slowly towards her. Several times, he had to stop and wait as people cut in front of him or stopped to go inside. More then once he lost sight of her in the crowd. There were so many people it was wonder he could see her at all. He was almost there now. He could probably shout out and actually get her attention now._

_However, just before he could he felt someone run into him from behind. He lost his footing and fell against the wall. He hissed slightly at the stinging pain that erupted as his arm scrapped against the cement (Now he regretted taking off his jacket and wearing just the T-shirt). He heard somebody say sorry as they rushed by, most likely the one who just shoved him in the first place._

_He straightened up, giving a quick glance at his arm. The skin was badly scraped and bleeding in some places. He turned his attention back the sidewalk in front of him, grimacing as his arm stung. He was more cautious of the people around him, not wanting someone to run into him again. He started looking for Hiyono, having lost sight of her when he fell. He could see a few other students from school, still wearing their uniforms. He tried to spot the familiar golden hair, knowing that he was close to where she had been standing._

_However, no matter how much he looked he couldn't spot her. He stopped where he knew she had been. He looked around, confused, trying to see if she had moved to somewhere else. But he couldn't see anyone who even resembled her. It was as if, in those few minutes that he wasn't watching her, she had disappeared._

'She was here,' _He thought, looking around. He saw her, he knew she was here. But now where was she?_

_His first thought was that she might have gone into one of the stores. There were plenty lining the street and any number of them looked like they could attract her attention. But he dismissed that idea on realizing she would have had to pass him to get to the nearest one. Plus, he had told her to meet him outside, though he now wished he had said to meet in one of the stores. She could have decided to leave, but it hadn't been long enough for her to get far and he should still be able to see her if she did._

_So then, where was she?_

_Ayumu went to turn around, deciding to look in the stores all the same, but stopped. He turned towards one of the shop signs, a color not belonging to the sign catching his eye. He bent down beside it, picking up the piece of cloth lying on the ground. It was a creamy white with a light blue outlining, colors that stood out against the sign. It was a handkerchief, one he recognized as Hiyono's._

_He straightened up, standing beside to wall the avoid anyone running into him again. He turned the cloth around, looking over it. He knew there was the possibility this was someone else's. Though, he couldn't think of many people who carried a handkerchief around these days. And he could distinctively remember her saying once that it had belonged to a close relative or something._

_He found himself looking around again. He knew it was rather pointless. If he hadn't seen her yet he probably wasn't going to. He looked back down where he found the handkerchief, lying just behind the sign. Judging by the position it was in he would say that it must have gotten caught on the corner of the sign and then fell to the ground. But because of the angle of the sign, that could only happen if she went behind it._

_He felt a twisting sensation in the pit of his stomach. He lend against the sign, looking around behind it. Now he noticed it. Behind the sign, between the two buildings he stood in front of, he could see a thin alley way. It was almost unnoticeable; if he hadn't spotted the handkerchief he wouldn't have found it._

_He fell back into a standing position, that feeling in his stomach getting worse. Why would Hiyono go behind that sign? There was no reason to, no reason at all. There were no shops down there, no people. She probably won't even notice it was there._

_But maybe she dropped something. There was just enough space between the wall and the sign for something to roll or slide behind it. She might have went in one of the stores or shops and quickly bought something, and with the sidewalk this crowded it wouldn't surprise him if she had been ran into as well and dropped the bag, or even ran into someone herself if she wasn't paying attention._

_Still, even with those thoughts he didn't feel comfortable. He still felt like something was wrong. He stood there, staring at the alley entrance as his mind worked out several possibilities. He gave his head a slight shake. What was he thinking? None of those even sounded possible, not on a street this crowded._

_He tightened his grip on the handkerchief, staring down the alley way. His stomach continued to twist, tying it's self in a knot. He gave one last look through the crowd before moving behind the sign and stepping in to the alley_.'I don't like this,' _he thought,_ 'I don't like this at all.'

XxXxX

It was quiet again.

Ayumu leaned against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. The hall light seemed dimmer somehow, fleeting. Probably because he was so tired. He raised his hand and rubbed his eyes. They watered as he closed them, burning slightly from fatigue. He wasn't sure how long he had been standing here now, his body and mind in conflict over what to do next. He should get some sleep, but he was sure his body wouldn't stay still just yet.

He opened his eyes. He looking to his side, his bedroom door a few yards away. The door was half open. Light flooded into the hall, making it brighter then it would usually be. He had left the light on, sure that Hiyono wouldn't want to wake up in the dark.

_"Please let me die-"  
_  
He pushed the memory out. He stared down at the lower part of the wall. _'Don't think about it.' _She was just in shock, traumatized. She couldn't have meant that. He wouldn't believe that she did, that she really wanted to die. It was just ridiculous.

He narrowed his eyes at the wall. For the countless time he replayed the whole night in his mind, analyzing part after part, wondering what should have been done differently and where it went wrong.

His memory finally came up the last few hours. It had took some time before Hiyono finally clamed down. He was mistaken when he had first thought she was calming down. She started to cry harder, clinging to him as if she might break if she let go. He didn't push her away. He couldn't have pushed her away even if he wanted too, she was clinging to him so hard.

Even as he thought back on it now, he wasn't sure he had done the right thing. But what else could he have done? He wasn't a doctor, a psychologist. He didn't know enough about this to know what to do or to expect.

When she finally stopped crying, when he was sure she was actually calm, he gently pulled away. He convinced her to lie down and rest. He knew she wouldn't want to, but he also knew she needed to. She needed to sleep, needed to rest her mind and body the best she could. Even if she didn't sleep she would still be resting, and that was better then nothing. But to his surprise she did fall asleep, just after half an hour in fact. It was sooner then he estimated.

He checked on her every ten or so minutes. He told himself it was a pointless action, that nothing could possibly happen to her. She was sound asleep, and would probably stay that way for a few hours. But in the back of his mind, how ever impossible he told himself it was, he was worried she would hurt herself again. An even more irrational part was worried she would disappear again.

He didn't want to feel that numbing cold again, that fear. That feeling he got when he realized what was happening. . . 

Ayumu sighed, sliding down the wall to the floor. Exhaustion was settling in, both physically and mentally. He had tried earlier to lie down on the couch, to try and get even a few moments rest. But he was too anxious, too tense to sleep. If he was tired before he wasn't tired now. Worry for Hiyono and remaining tension from earlier kept him awake and had his mind working in overdrive. He couldn't stay still. He couldn't get his thoughts to calm down. Even though he knew he should sleep, he instead kept himself busy. He felt like he might go crazy if he forced himself to stay still. In the past few hours he had cleaned the bathroom of all the blood and evidence of their struggle, started the laundry, and put some food in the oven for when either of them got hungry. He had certainly made himself busy enough.

But now there was nothing left to do.  
_  
_Ayumu closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall. Four thoughts at a time seemed to trying and cross his mind, only resulting in frustration for him and a headache sure to follow. Now that he thought about it, even if he managed to get to sleep his dreams would probably be too twisted and strange for him to get actual rest.

He opened his eyes. There was a moth flying around the light, casting a faint shadow on the ceiling and wall. He watched it for a minute. Despite the headache he would probably get, he started to try thinking through his messed up thoughts. He was too tired to find something to calm them and he couldn't avoid doing it for long. He closed his eyes again. Besides, rest wasn't the only reason why he needed to organize his thoughts. He also needed to figure out what to do now and what could happen next. . .

xXxXx 

Hiyono eyes snapped open. For a minute she just stared at the wall in front of her, blinking in confusion. Her mind was hazy, her thoughts slowed and covered by the grogginess of sleep. _'That's not my wall.'_ She thought, blinking again as if expecting it to change. A few seconds passed before her memory caught up like lightning to her sleepy mind. Her stomach seemed to sink. Of course that wasn't her wall, because this wasn't her room. It was Ayumu's room.

She was still. A part of her wanted to roll over and see what time it was. She had fell asleep, something that surprised her. She was curious to know exactly how long she had slept. But she couldn't seem to move. Her body felt strangely numb. It wasn't the fear freezing numb that had covered her earlier, though her sleep covered mind almost thought it was. No, this time it was the warm effects of slumber that had her frozen.

It felt strange, lying here under the warm blankets, welling her now warm body to move even a little. It was strange to be here at all. It was strange, when just hours ago they had been running through cold rain. . .

She finally made herself roll over onto her back, turning her head towards the nightstand. She stared at the alarm clock, her drowsy mind taking a few minutes to read the numbers. Three-fifty three. She had been asleep for just over two hours.

She turned head again, staring up at the ceiling. Ayumu had left the light on, an act she was more grateful for then she realized. She traced the varies shadows along the ceiling and upper walls, observing but not really seeing them. She wanted to go back to sleep. She wanted to go back into the recesses of her mind where she didn't have to think, didn't have to relive that in her mind again.

_'Stop it. Just stop thinking about it.'  
_  
It wasn't as easy as that. She wished it was, but it wasn't. She couldn't keep the events of the day buried. They just kept repeating themselves over and over again in her mind, the some horrendous cycle again and again.

_"You-"  
_  
Hiyono sat up. She could feel her body trying to shake as a faint echo repeated in her mind. _'Stop it. Just stop it.'_ She pulled her knees up against her, wrapping her arms around them. Her hand moved over the bandages on her wrist. She felt her breath catch in her throat. The insane urge to escape washed over her, the simple but complex knowledge that a way to stop the nightmare lay right in her grasp returned. She raised her hand in front of her face, staring at the bandage. A faint stain of blood showed against the white binds.

She could rip it off. The cuts couldn't have held yet. There might be a slight scab over them, but it could be easily scratched away. Her fingers moved almost dream like over her wrist, searching for the clip that held the wraps in place. _'You can stop it.' _That thought, that knowledge, repeated in her mind just like the images. It was just as bad, just as torturous. And she could. She could stop thinking about it, stop seeing it, stop that face from hovering just beyond her sight, stop it from flashing through her mind when ever she closed her eyes. Her fingers found the clip. She dug her nails under the fold. She could stop all of it so easily, right now

_"You can't do this!"  
_  
Hiyono jumped at the voice. She snapped her head up and looked towards the door, fully expecting to find Ayumu standing in the doorway. The door was halfway open, but the room was empty except for her. Her hand hovered over her wrist, nails still under the clip edge. It trembled slightly before slowly pulling away, leaving the bandages intact.

_"It's not your fault."  
_  
Wasn't it though? If she hadn't dropped her cell phone, hadn't went down there. It was cooler in the shade and not as loud. That's way she didn't turn back immediately. That's why she thought she could just wait there for a few minutes.

_She should have went back. She shouldn't have stayed there. She shouldn't have turned and went deeper when she heard the noise. . .  
_  
She pressed her forehead against her knees, trying to block the thoughts out. How did she ever manage to fall asleep? And how did she manage the majority of said sleep without nightmares? She thought back, desperate for any type of escape from these thoughts. She had been so anxious, so restless. She had buried herself under the blankets, wishing she could do the same to her thoughts. She took a deep breath, trying futilely to calm her thoughts.

She raised her head a little, staring at the blanket in slight wonder. That breath had held the undertone of something, a scent that was as comforting as it was familiar.

That's right. She remembered it now. As she was lying there, half her face covered by the blankets, she found herself calming down. At first, she couldn't figure out why and a part of her didn't care if she never did. She was calming down. For the first time in hours she was starting to relax if even a little. It was only after she had lie there for a few minutes that it finally clicked.

Every time she inhaled she could clearly smell it. A scent, some kind of strange fragrance, covering the blankets. Every time she took a breath she clamed down just a little bit more. By focusing on it she could better push the thoughts away, could better escape the linger terror. She wondered what it was, and then she remembered she was lying in Ayumu's bed.

Which meant that the scent was his.

She had never noticed him having a distinguishing scent before, but she did then. Ayumu's scent seemed soaked into the blankets and something about it calmed her down. And the longer she laid there, the more sleep began to wash over her.

Hiyono buried her nose a little in what blanket covered her knees. She could only pick up traces of his scent now. The clean smell of her hair had started to mix with it, covering it up. She balanced her head on her chin, thinking back to before she fell asleep.

She couldn't say she remembered what happened in the bathroom. It all seemed more like a blur to her. In fact, everything after they where in the alley again seemed strangely dim, half forgotten. As if it had been a dream she couldn't remember, didn't want to remember.

The struggle: all she could clearly remember was the pain in her arm and the desperate need to escape the images. Ayumu's face hovered half formed in her mind. It was hazed over either by the frantic moment or her tears at the time.

_'He was worried. . .' _A thought whispered, barely heard through her spinning thoughts. She furrowed her brow, thinking further on the words. Even though it was hazy, when she thought back on it he had seemed more… frantic then he would usually be. She pressed her palm against her forehead, trying to remember while wishing to forget everything that had happened.

The only thing that even vaguely stood out was when he hugged her, and that was probably more out of surprise. She lowered her hand, staring at it as she rested it on top of her knees. Yeah, surprise. He had never hugged her before, had never had a reason to. The only time he had ever got that close to her was when he leaned against her shoulder.  
She couldn't understand why he did that. Hugging her, staying with her until she stopped crying. It just didn't seem like something he would do. He had said something, she could recall hearing him talk but the words wouldn't form in her mind. Was it important? She couldn't remember. . .

She heard something slide down the wall in the hall, followed by an almost unnoticeable sigh. She turned her head towards the door. She wouldn't have heard it at all if the door wasn't half open.

Ayumu.

She stared at the door for a few minutes, contemplating. She finally unwrapped her arms and pushed the blankets away, swing her legs over the edge of the bed. He had told her to stay in bed, to rest even if she didn't sleep. Sleep. . . It was a nice thought, something she would gladly do if she could. But her body was slowly filling with that restless tension, that fear driven anxiety she just couldn't get free of. She realized she didn't want to be alone, couldn't be alone. If she was she knew she would do something drastic again.

Hiyono stood up. Her legs shook slightly, almost making her fall back on the bed. She grabbed on to the nightstand, balancing herself. It was then that the cooler air outside the blankets hit her. She could feel goose bumps creeping along her skin, making her whole body shiver. When she was sure she wouldn't fall, she let go of he table. She rub her hands up her arms to smooth the bumps with little success. She looked back down at the nightstand, spotting the clothes folded on top of it. Now she remembered. Ayumu had brought them for her to wear. He had left them there just after he talked her in to lying down. Her mind struggle in thought. It was vague, but she was sure he had said something about the clothes right before she cut herself.

She stared at the folded clothes before moving towards them. Almost dreamlike she started to get dressed, pulling the shirt over her head. The dim realization that she had been naked since her shower barely registered in her mind. Maybe if she was actually thinking straight she would have taken that knowledge differently. But she didn't even notice the thought. At the moment she couldn't care less what she had or hadn't been wearing at the time. It was only the sense that came from her near buried consciousness that had her putting the clothes on at all.

She buttoned the pants before finally turning towards the door. The ends of the pants dragged on the floor as she walked, almost tripping her. Later, if she thought of it, she would have to roll the ends up. Right now though she wasn't going to worry about it.

She quietly opened the door the rest of the way, stepping out into the hall. She turned her head, instantly spotting Ayumu on the floor. He was leaning back, his head against the wall and his eyes closed. He had changed his shirt. She could recall the blood stains on the other one and vaguely wondered if they would come out. He was thinking, she could tell even from here. She also noticed how tired he looked. She wondered if he had gotten any sleep himself or if he had been up this whole time.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there watching him. After either seconds or minutes she walked over and sat down beside him. Ayumu snapped his eyes open as she did, sensing more then hearing her movement. He straightened up, turning his head towards her in surprise. He was so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed her until she sat down. _'How long has she been up?'_ He wondered. She was wearing the clothes he had got for her, so she had been up long enough to get dressed. And how long had she been standing in the hall before sitting down?

Then the thoughts from earlier broke through his surprise. He gave her a serious look, suddenly wondering why she had came out here. "Why are you up?" He asked, watching her face closely. "I told you stay in bed." She was sitting with her legs pulled up against her, her head balanced on top of them while she stared at the floor. Her eyes didn't hold the same blank gaze they did before, but they did look darker. It was still a look he didn't like.

She was quiet for a moment. A part of him worried she wouldn't answer and had slipped back into her silent trance. "I woke up." She finally answered, her voice low and quiet. She didn't say anything more and he translated the continued silence as _"And I couldn't fall back to sleep"._ Ayumu turned his gaze to the wall, staring hard at it. Hiyono glanced at him from the side. He had the strangest expression on his face, almost like he was angry or upset about something.

"A nightmare." He stated more then asked. Her hand found the bandages again and her fingers moved back and forth along the edge.

"No." She answered. Her voice was still quiet. She couldn't seem to talk any louder. "Not…really." She was partly telling the truth. She actually couldn't remember her dream. It had been so twisted and strange that she couldn't have remembered it. But it was something about that twisted strangeness that caused her to wake up.

Ayumu watched her for a minute. Nightmares. . . It was actually something he had worried about. But there was nothing he could about them. He looked back at the wall. Silence started to fill the air again. It was something he didn't like now, silence. He was so use to Hiyono talking to him, trying to engage him in a conversation, that to be with her in silence just didn't feel right. How many times before did he wish she would shut up and be quiet for even just a minute? And now he was wishing just as hard for her to start talking again.

This wasn't something they were just going to be able to walk away from, to push to the back of their minds and forget about. It shouldn't be this hard, there shouldn't be anything wrong. But it was too complex, too involved for it to be simple.

Then he still had continued worry for Hiyono. If she didn't get better, if she continued to stay like this, he knew he would have to get her professional help. He didn't like the thought. He didn't want to draw attention they didn't need. But he wasn't a doctor and there was only so much he could do for her. Maybe it was too soon to think that. But the change in her personality had been so sudden, so drastic… He almost brought his hands to his face and buried it in them. It was just too much to think about right now.

Hiyono could sense more then tell Ayumu was thinking hard. She wondered if he was having as much trouble to think clearly as she was. Even now the memories had been hovering on the edge of her mind, just waiting to assault her. She could feel her stomach knotting up, could feel that dreaded sense of hopelessness creeping up on her. She wanted to pull out her brain and beat the memories out, wanted to do something, _anything _to make them leave her alone.

_'Something. . . Please. . .'  
_  
Ayumu sensed Hiyono moving. He didn't look over at her, thinking that maybe she was heading back to bed. He knew he would have to ask, even though he didn't want to. However, he didn't hear or sense her stand up like he expected.

Instead, he felt her head fall against his shoulder.

His body stiffened. He opened his eyes and turned his head, confirming she was really there. He almost jerked out from under her out of reflex, but was stopped when she grabbed his arm. He almost pulled away all the same, but made himself stay still, tense but still.

"Please, Ayumu." She mumbled. Her voice was a little louder now but it just made the exhaustion in her voice clear. "I let you borrow my shoulder once, remember? So please. . .let me borrow yours."

He remembered. With the events before it, it was hard not to. But he had been without sleep for two nights straight that time. Plus, there were no beds at a train station. "Why does it matter?" He asked. He didn't fail to notice that her face seemed to look more relaxed. "If you're still tired you should go back to bed."

"I don't know. . ." She was barely talking over a whisper. "Something about it. . .calms me." She turned her head so she could better inhale his scent. She could already feel the wave of rest wash over her, feel that wonderful escape right in her grasp. She had felt a similar feeling when he hugged her. She didn't know why his scent relaxed her so much. But if he would let her, she would rest like this. Even if it was just for a minute.

Ayumu stared at her, wondering exactly what she meant by that. He really didn't feel comfortable with her leaning against him. But as he watched her he noticed her face was beginning to look calmer, calmer then he ever thought it could be after tonight. It struck him how surprisingly small she suddenly looked. His clothes were bigger on her then he thought they would be. Even with the dim hall light he could see that her skin was still pale and even noticed the dark rings surrounding her eyes. They still looked a little puff and red from crying. Coupled with the varies bruises and her look of fatigue; she looked as defenseless as a young child.

He felt a wave of guilt wash over him. His insides seemed to twist as his conscious reminded him _why _she couldn't sleep, why she looked like that. He closed his eyes, turning his face back towards the ceiling.

"Just for a few minutes." He mumbled. Hiyono barely heard him. Already she was blocking the memories out, already escaping into the black oblivion of sleep. The wonder of why she felt so calm like this was lost in the waves of slumber. She could think about, worry about it later. She could deal with everything later. Right now she was just going to sleep.

Ayumu opened his eyes. He stared up at the ceiling, light chewing on his tongue. He was more then a little uncomfortable with the currant situation. But his guilt filled conscious wouldn't let him worry about it. He looked down at her. He could tell from the look on her face that she was less anxious then she was earlier. Judging by her slow and even breath he would guess she was about to fall asleep, if she wasn't sleeping already. If sitting like this really did calm her down and helped her rest, then he would let her. She needed to rest more then he did. It might even help her back to her old self.

No, that was naïve thinking. She wouldn't be completely back to herself for a long time. He would wait and see. It was most likely prolonged shock. If she just got some more rest. . .

He looked back up at the ceiling. If sitting like this really did calm her down then he would let her sleep, at least until she was deep enough in sleep that he could move her back to the bed. If either of them stayed like this for too long, it would lead to even more sore muscles then what they had. He didn't know why she wanted to sleep like this. She had mumbled something about it calming her but. . .

He closed his eyes. He could feel his body relaxing, adjusting to the feel of her against him. He still felt uncomfortable with the situation, but even that was starting to fade. He realized his body felt strangely heavy. A familiar warm numbness was spreading through him. He tried to open his eyes, but they wouldn't even lift. it was like weights were attached to them, keeping them down. He could feel himself beginning to drift away, forgetting everything around him. He had thought he wouldn't be able to sleep, not with his mind as busy as it was. But, as he was dimly aware of his head falling to the side, he must have been more tired then he first thought. Try as he might to open his eyes, to stay awake, he knew sleep was inevitable. Slowly his mind began to drift off. . . thinking back. . . remembering. . . Unaware the Hiyono was thinking the same thing as she fell asleep.

XxXxX**  
**  
_The silence was deafening. The instant he was in the alley all other sound were cut off. It was like the building walls were made to block all the noise. Not only that, but it also seemed darker then it should be. If he looked up he could easily see the clear blue sky. The warm spring sun, however, didn't even seem able to reach the alley. It was almost like he had stepped off on to another planet._

_Ayumu walked forward, blocking out the silence that pounded in his ears. It didn't take long to came to a turn. He looked around it, finding nobody there as he expected. He stopped, staring up and down the alley. A large dumpster was nearby. The smell of garbage and other decaying debris hung in the air. It didn't look like anyone other then a garbageman would came down here. He turned around, wonder what could have given him the impulse to even came down here._

_The air shifted. He stopped. The alley smells changed with the air. For a split second he caught the scent of something different, something strangely familiar. But before he could identify it, it was gone. He turned back around, his mind struggling to place the name of the smell. Nothing came, but he felt his stomach twist as he continued to think about it. It was familiar, horribly familiar. Whatever that momentary scent had been, he had smelt it before. In fact, he was sure he smelt it multiple times._

_He stared down the alley for a moment before walking again. He didn't move back towards the busy street sidewalks, like he had intended. He walked past the dumpster, going further down the alley. His footsteps suddenly seemed very loud, as if he was stomping the ground with every step he took. He made himself block the thought out, knowing it was just the effects of the heavy silence._

_Blocking out the silence that pounded in his ears, Ayumu walked forward. He planned on going only a short ways, then he would turn back. He doubted Hiyono would be down here anyway. There was no reason for her to come down here, no reason at all. Yet he continued to walk forward. That smell, the twisting in his stomach. Something told him to go, regardless of reason. Something kept him moving forward._

_He came to another turn, and he decided it would be the last. If he didn't see anything (and what did he expect to see?) suspicious he was going to head back. If Hiyono was running late too then she was already looking for him._

_Ayumu stopped in his tracks as he went around the corner, two figures a good ways in front of him catching his view. So there were people down here. He wondered why for a moment, but as he thought about, it really wasn't so strange. They were probably employees from one of the stores, taking out garbage of slacking on the job. For a minute he just watched them, trying to get a good look at them._

_He didn't remember thinking it or even moving. The next thing he knew he was sitting on the ground, hidden behind some near by trashcans. He sat there, frozen in shock at his own behavior. When he saw them, his instincts had jolted. The feeling that he didn't want to be seen spread through him so fast he didn't get a chance to even consider it._

_Slowly he looked out from behind the cans. He tried to distinguish the two people, see if he could figure out why his instinct went on red alert. The people in front of him were a good distance away. Because they were so far away it was hard to clearly see them. Adding in the fact that the alley way wasn't that bright and it was getting later by the minute didn't help._

_They were standing still, one blocking the other from view. He heard a low mumble of voices, one of them talking, but couldn't even make out the speaker let alone the words. The one was a man, he realized. He could tell from how tall them an was as well as how he was built. The other person was still in front of the man. He only knew there was someone else because he had caught sight of them before hiding._

_He suddenly realized how completely foolish he must look, crouched down behind some trashcans as he watched total strangers like they were enemies. Scrowling at himself, he moved to stand up. What the hell was wrong with him today?_

_Ayumu had almost stood up when the man ahead of him turned. He saw him put something in his pocket, then he bent down slightly as if to pick something up. He realized a second later he was picking something up. He put it over his shoulder. From this distence and with the dim light, his first thought was that it was some kind of sack._

'Sacks don't have hair. . .'

_Ayumu froze, almost standing up. An ice cold numbness spreaded throughout his body. He didn't move, his mind already beginning to race. That wasn't a sack, a bag of some form. That was the form of a person, a girl, unconscious for a reason he had yet to know. The man started walking. Her head swayed slightly, the braids of her golden hair hanging around her face. . .

* * *

_

Author's Note: And thus, the plot thickens. For some reason, this chapter was unusually hard for me to both think out and type. Maybe because I'm still, in a way, a beginner and there for have yet to build amazing confidence? Or it was just really hard to type. That could be it.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and have both the time and kindness to review. It really is amazing how a little bit of feedback can give you inspiration.


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